Newspapers / Gardner-Webb University Student Newspaper / Nov. 19, 2004, edition 1 / Page 2
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Page 2 Friday, November 19, 2004 The Pilfer Camp 'ft ift w s The boys are back in town College grows as Gl’s come home Amanda Wood Pilot copy editor John Roberts traveled with his father and sister to Boiling Springs one Sunday morning in December 1941, the day America changed forever. Roberts’ sister was a stu dent at Boiling Springs Junior College, and he and his father drove her back to school after a weekend visit home. While their car was parked in front of his sister’s dorm, Roberts listened to the radio as it crackled out the news that Japanese air crews had attacked Pearl Harbor. “1 heard it right out front there,” Roberts said, sitting in a wing-backed chair in the Fireside Lounge of the Dover Campus Center, where the Huggins-Curtis building once stood. According to Roberts, he and his father listened to radio news reports about the attack all the way home. “Son, you’ll be in this before it’s over,” Roberts’ father told him. His father was right. Roberts served as a ser geant in the U.S. Army. He was in the Philippines when Japan surrendered in 1945. He also served in South Korea. “After two years in serv ice 1 came back and enrolled at Gardner-Webb,” Roberts said. And Roberts wasn’t alone. The GI Bill of Rights According to Gardner- Webb University Historian Lansford Jolley, the end of World War 11 brought change to the school after the hard times it faced dur ing the Depression and the war. “I think the school really turned around in the 1940s,” Jolley said. On June 11, 1942, the school changed its name from Boiling Springs Junior College to Gardner-Webb Junior College in honor of the Gardner and Webb fami lies of Cleveland and Rutherford Counties. According to Jolley, O. Max Gardner, a North Carolina governor and U.S. ambassador, played a signif icant role in the school’s turn around through his long time financial support. In addition to the aid from Gardner, Jolley credits the GI Bill as another reason for the turn around. “Your tuition was paid, your books were paid,” Jolley said. According to Jolley, the tuition benefits provided by the GI Bill created a great influx of new and returning male students after World Warn. By the 1946-1947 school year, 420 students attended Gardner-Webb Junior College. According to Jolley, that was almost double the num ber of students who attended GWJC two years before. Veterans come home In November 1946, GWJC began construction on Memorial Drive to honor GWJC smdents who served in World War II. Memorial Drive circles around the Elliott House near present- day Royster Hall. Roommates Freeman and Zeb Lo^^' were among the veterans who enrolled in GWJC after World War II ended. According to Lowery, he came home from the Pacific with Navy fatigue pants and chambray shirts. While he was a student at GWJC, pants with tumed-up cuffs were in style. So Lowery turned up the cuffs of his pants and stapled them to hold them in place. According to Lowery, he and Freeman received an allowance of $21 a month to go to school, and they both played football and baseball during their two years at GWJC. But the best thing about their time at GWJC was meeting their wives, accord ing to both Lowery and Freeman. According to Lojj^’s wife, Helyn Goode L^By, ^ Vit ‘V GWJC played a significant role in the veterans’ lives. “This college was what these GI’s really needed when they came out,” Lowery said. “It gave them the opportunity to enter civilian life again.” Both Lowery and Freeman attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and they both went into education as teachers and coaches. They remain life-long friends. As for John Roberts, he earned his associate degree from GWJC in 1949 and received his bachelor’s degree from Furman University. “I thoroughly enjoyed my two years at Gardner- • bb,” Roberts said. “I ed every minute of it.” photo property of Gardner-Webb University Archives A group of guys pose with moss on their heads in this 1950s photo from the Gardner-Webb Archive. After World War II, GWJC built surplus army barracks in Boiling Springs for student-veterans with families. In November 1948, GWJC joined the North Carolina Baptist State Convention’s community of colleges. ■ The present-day home of GWU’s radio sta tion, WGWG, was built in 1948 as the residence of GWJC President P.L Elliott, ♦ John Roberts came back to GWJC as dtneetOr of public relations in 1954. He also taught first- year English and a two-hour survey class in basic journalism. • Roberts served two four-year terms on GWU% board of trustees, and is currently a mem her of the presidential .search committee. News in brief Y; Stuflents help in community photo courtesy of Noel Manning Cari Cartee (right) performs on stage during iast year’s concert with a feilow artist. Cartee will play at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 in Dover Theater. Free concert a GWU tradition Musician Carl Cartee, originally from Shelby, will perform his seventh annual Christmas concert at Gardner-Webb University at 7 p.m. on Dec. 4 in Dover Theater. The price of admission is one canned food item or a new toy for kids. All proceeds from the concert will benefit the Salvation Army. Cartee lives in Nashville, Term., where he writes and records professionally. His CD’s, including his new Christmas album, will be on sale at the concert. — Sarah James Christmas festivities to take place at GWU The Festival of Lights, Gardner-Webb University’s annual Christmas celebration, will take place in Dover Theatre on Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. A GWU tradition, the concert kicks off the Christmas season for faculty, staff, students and the community. “There will be standing room only, so make sure to get there early,” said Noel Manning, interim director of university communications. At the end of the service, the campus will be lighted by luminaries. The annual lighting of the Christmas tree will also take place. Apple cider and cookies will be served after the service. “If this doesn’t put you in the Christmas spirit, then nothing will,” Manning said. — Sarah James From YUPe 1 your eyes and seeing the big picture.” According to Darnell^ Hunter and Emily Stephens^ the club’s faculty advisor, the big picture includes building a sense of commu nity on campus. “We wanted to have a club that everyone could be a part of,” Stephens said. “We’ve tried to provide some social things to bring people together.” For club members, par ticipating in the club’s serv ice projects and community building activities provide a sense of satisfaction. “It’s just worked out perfectly,” said Sandy Kieffer, chairperson of the klul^fcservice committee. *Tlwl the opportunity I’ve been looking for to give something back to the com munity I’ve been living in.” Hunter agrees. “It does give back to the community,” he said. “We are here to serve the people.” According to Darnell, students can come to a meeting or an event if they are interested in joining the club. SOMeXiMtJ TH6 PXST 1SB€TT[P.0FF X CHOSliTOI^y XN XXIS MUNDipi.0DUCTI0N OROCR DVD OX ijKit AT; H IT P'/WWW. C V ST 0 X, f: [. |V. C 0 X4/20 6177 Cours# off to a good start Robin Taylor Pilot staff Gardner-Webb University offers an Army ROTC course on Thursday afternoons this semester. This course is consid ered a general elective for freshmen and sophomores. It provides training and teaches valuable leadership skills to prepare people for the Army. Six students are involved with the four-year program this semester. Four of the students are nurses. And, although it’s a four ^^f/ear program, people who are interested in joining the ROTC program can do so at any time without effecting when they graduate. The program offers training ses sions to catch people up to where they need to be in order to graduate on time. One of the perks of the program is. the educational assistance provided for the cadets. Students interested in joining or finding out more about the ROTC can contact Major Dawn Cox by tele phone at 704 756-4597 or online at dcox@jcsu.edu. Ptc^ivright's Showtimes: Nov. 19 - Nov 21 2, 4, 7 & 9 p.m. Where; Carmike 10 at Shelby Mall Tickets: $2 for GWU stuctas for non students. Tickets can be^^he^ through CSH 110 by 5 p.m. today or 30 minutes before showtime. proudly presents p^ in worttshop y Steven Walters anew written by f 'cvv 1 by Sex Lab Hit lAieiiiliwni Pkylioiise
Gardner-Webb University Student Newspaper
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Nov. 19, 2004, edition 1
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